Traction-wheel.



PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

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TRACTION WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. I2. 1904.

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APPLIOATION FILED DEC 12 1904 UNITED STATES Patented April 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

CLAYTON A. MoINTOSH, OF WVASHINGTON, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOBOND SHAFER, OF WASHINGTON, KANSAS.

TRACTION-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,536, dated April18, 1905.

Application filed December 12,1904. Serial No. 236,562.

1'0 all whmn, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAYTON A. MoINTosH, a citizen of the United States,residing at WVashington, in the county of Washington and State ofKansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTraction-Wheels; and 1 do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in traction-wheels fortraction-engines. automobiles, and other vehicles.

The object of the invention is to provide a wheel of this characterhaving means whereby the same will be caused to take a firm hold on thesurface over which the wheel may be passing, thus enabling the vehicleon which the wheel is mounted to travel over muddy or sandy roads andover snow or ice.

A further object is to provide means whereby the holding or grippingdevices carried by the wheel may be caused to project deeplyinto theground or only to a slight distance.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists ofcertain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheelconstructed in accordance with the invention and showing the gripping orholding devices in folded position. Fig. 2 is a similar view of thegripping devices extended or in operative position. Fig. 3 is a verticalsectional view of the same. Fig. 4 is an inner face view of the threadedstopadjusting plate for limiting the inward movement of the grippingdevices. Fig. 5 is a detail side view of the inner end of thechannelspokes, showing the arrangementvof the adjustable cushioning stoplocks for limiting the inward movement of the gripping devices. Fig. 6is a detail side view of one of the gripping devices or steppers.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the wheel,consisting of a centrally-disposed hub 2, on one end of which aremounted four main supporting-spokes 3.

These spokes are arranged at diametrically opposite points and areconnected at their outer ends by means of a rim or tire 4, on the outeredge of which is formed an inwardly-projecting flange or web 5. The hub2 is provided on one end with an annular flange 6, between which and theflange or web 5 is arranged a series of auxiliary spokes 7. To thespokes 3 and 7 is bolted a circular tooth rack or gear 8, with which isadapted to be connected driv- -ing mechanism by which the vehicle ispropelled. The outer ends of the spokes 3 are bolted to the flange 5,while the inner ends of the same are bolted to the flange 6 ofthe hub 2,said inner ends of the spokes being further connected to the hub bymeans of curved brace-bars 9. Connected to the opposite end of the hub 2at diametrically opposite points are grooved or channeled spokes 10,saidspokes lying directly opposite and parallel to the spokes 3 on theopposite side of the hub. The spokes 10 are connected together andbraced near their outer ends by inclined bracebars 12.

Pivotally mounted between the outer ends of the spokes 3 and 10 uponshort shafts 13 are segment-shaped steppers 14:, in the outer ends ofwhich are formed transversely-disposed eyes or apertures 15. With one ofsaid apertured ends of the steppers 14 is pivotally connected the outerend of a pitman-rod 16, the opposite or inner end of which is pivotallyconnected to a block 17. Said block 17 is slidably mounted in a channelor groove 18, formed in the outer face of the spokes 10, the walls ofsaid groove having inwardlyprojecting flanges 19, which prevent theblock 17 from becoming detached from said spokes. The block 17 isloosely mounted in the channel or groove 18, thereby being permitted tohave a free sliding movement therein. On the outer ends of thepitman-rods 16 are formed curved transversely-disposed plates 20, whichby the arrow in Fig. 2, the steppers 14 will l drop by gravity to theproper position to engage the ground,thereby preventing the wheel fromslipping. As the grippers drop into their various positions during theturning of the wheel the sliding block 17 will be projected back andforth through the groove 18 in the spokes 10 by the shifting rods 16.

In order that the movement of the steppers may be controlled toaccommodate the same to various conditions of the ground over which thewheel is passing, suitable stop-blocks 21 are provided, said blocksbeing adj ustably mounted in the grooves or channels 18 of the spokes10, and they are provided with coilsprings 22, against which the blocks17 are adapted to abut. This arrangement forms a cushion by which thejar of the two blocks coming together will be cushioned or relieved. Inorder that the blocks 21 may be adjusted in the channels or grooves ofthe spokes 10 to regulate the movement of the blocks 17 suitableadjustable mechanism 23 is provided. The adjusting mechanism 23 consistsof a plate or disk 24, which is loosely mounted upon the projecting endof the shaft or axle of the machine, said plate or disk being providedon its inner face with a spirally-arranged thread 25, with which areadapted to be engaged pins 26, formed onand projecting laterally fromthe blocks 21. The disk 24 being loosely mounted upon the shaft or axlewill normally turn with the wheel and will thus hold the blocks inposition. Should it be desired to shift the blocks 21 in the channels18, the disk or plate 24 may be held against rotation, so that as thewheel continues to turn the pins 26 in the blocks 21 will be carriedaround in the spiral groove adjacent to the thread 25, and it will forcesaid blocks outwardly or away from the center of the wheel, therebylimiting the distance in the slots 18 through which the blocks 17 on thepitman-rod 16 may move, thereby regulating the position of the steppers.

In order that the disk 24 may beheld against rotation with the wheel 1,the outer face of the same is provided with a hub 27, on which is formedan annular series of notches 28, with one or the other of which isadapted to be engaged a lug 29. This lug 29 is formed on the lower endof a hand-lever 30, which is pivotally mounted in abracket which isformed on a hub or collar 32, arranged on the outer end of the shaft oraxle of the wheel. The hub or collar 32 is formed in two parts, whichare adapted to be clamped upon the shaft, as shown. On the inner face ofthe hub or collar 32 is formed an inwardly-projecting annular flange 33,which is adapted to be engaged with an annular groove 34, formed on theouter end of the hub 27. On the inner wall of the hub or collar 32 isformed a spirally-arranged groove 35, which is adapted to engage aspirally-arranged thread 36, formed on the end of the axle or shaft ofthe wheel.

When it is desired to shift the blocks 21 in the groove or channel 18,the lever 30 is pulled inwardly toward the side of the wheel, therebyengaging the lug 29 with the notches 28, thus holding said plate or disk24 against rotation. The wheel 1 will continue to rotate, thus carryingthe blocks 21 around, and as the pins 26 formed thereon project into thespirally arranged groove adjacent to the thread 25 in the disk 24 saidblocks will be moved toward the outer edge of said plate or disk andnearer to the outer end of the grooves or channels 18, thereby closingsaid channels a portion of their distance and shortening the path ofmovement of the blocks 17, which will consequently limit the movement ofthe steppers through the pitman-rods 16. After the blocks have been thusmoved outwardly to the desired distance the lever 30 is released andwill be swung outwardly to its normal position by means of a spring 36which is con nected thereto and to the end of the shaft or axle, thusdisengaging the lug 29 from the notches 28, which will permit the plateor disk 24 to again turn with the wheel 1, the blocks 21 being held intheir adjusted position by said plate.

When it is desired to restore the blocks 21 to their normal position or.out of the way of the blocks 17, the lever 30 will be grasped and turnedninety degrees around the shaft or axle of the wheel in a planeperpendicular to the axle to the position shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings. By thus turning the lever the hub or collar 32 is also turnedaround said shaft or axle, the spiral thread 36 on said axle en gagingthe groove 35 in the inner wall of said hub, thereby causing said hub tobe shifted outwardly on the axle, and owing to the pivotal connectionbetween the hub 32 and the hub of the plate 24 said plate will be alsoshifted outwardly on the shaft or axle, thus disengaging the groove inthe same from the pins 26 in the blocks 21, which will permit saidblocks to drop or to be pushed back to the inner end of the slots 18,thereby clearing the way for the blocks 17. now move inwardly asuflicient distance to permit the steppers to loosely engage the surfaceof the ground, so that the same are not forced into said ground as thewheel is revolved.

On the rim or tire4 are formed transverselydisposed cleats 38, and onthe convex surface of the steppers 14 are formed obliquely-disposedcleats 39, whereby when said steppers are folded inwardly to theposition shown in Fig. 1, in which position the wheel is used as anordinary traction-wheel, said cleats will serve to afford a firmgripping-surface for the wheel. When the steppers are arranged in theposition shown in this figure, the blocks These blocks 17 may 17 on theinner ends of the pitman-rods may be locked to hold said steppers inposition by screwing the pivot-bolt which connects the inner ends of thepitman-rods with the block through the latter and into engagement withthe inner wall of the groove or channel 18, thus binding said block insaid groove. When the steppers are in this position, the curved plates20 on the ends of the pitman-rods will serve as mud-spurs.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a traction-wheel, the combination-with a flanged hub,ofradially-disposed main spokes secured to one end thereof, a flanged rimor tire arranged on said main spokes, auxiliary spokes arranged betweensaid main spokes and connected to the flanges of said rim and hub,channeled spokes secured to the opposite end of said hub, and disposedopposite to and parallel with said main spokes, segmental stepperspivoted between the outer ends of said main and channeled spokes,guide-blocks slidably mounted in said channeled spokes, pitman-rodsconnecting one end of said steppers with said guide-blocks, and meanswhereby the inward movement of said blocks is limited, therebyregulating the inward movement of said steppers, substantially asdescribed.

2. In atraction-wheel, the combination with a flanged hub, ofradially-disposed parallel spokes secured to the opposite ends of saidhub, a rim or tire arranged on the outer ends of the spokes on one endof said hub, longitudinally-disposed channels formed in the other set ofspokes, segment-shaped steppers pivotally mounted between the outer endsof said spokes, guide-blocks slidably mounted. in the channels of saidspokes, pitman-rods connecting one end of said steppers to saidguideblocks, adjusting-blocks also mounted in said channels to limit theinward movement of said guide-blocks, and means whereby saidadjusting-blocks are shifted and held at different positions in saidchannels, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In atraction-w heel, the combination with a flanged hub, ofradially-disposed parallel spokes secured to the opposite ends of saidhub, a rim or tire arranged on the outer ends of the spokes on one endof said hub, longitudinally-disposed channels formed in the other set ofspokes, segment-shaped steppers pivotally mounted between the outer endsof said spokes, guide-blocks slidably mounted in the channels of saidspokes, pitman-rods con-necting one end of said steppers to said guide--blocks, adjusting-blocks also mounted in said channels to limit theinward movement of said guide-blocks,an adjusting plate or disk looselymounted on the end of the axle of said wheel, a spiral thread formed onthe inner face of said plate or disk, a laterally-projecting pin formedon said adjusting-blocks to engage said spiral thread, means wherebysaid disk or plate is turned thereby moving said block outward in saidchannels and means whereby said plate may be shifted into and out ofengagement with said pin, substantially as described.

4. In a traction-wheel, the combination with a flanged hub, ofradially-disposed parallel spokes secured to the opposite ends of saidhub, a rim or tire arranged on the outer ends of the spokes on one endof said hub, longitudinally-disposed channels formed in the other set ofspokes, segment-shaped steppers pivotally mounted between the outer endsof said spokes, guide-blocks slidably mounted in the channels of saidspokes, pitman-rods connecting one end of said steppers to saidguideblocks,cushioned adjusting-blocks also mounted in said channels tolimit the inward movement of said guide-blocks, an adjusting plate ordisk loosely mounted on the end of the axle of said wheel to normallyturn with said wheel, a spiral thread formed on the inner face of saidplate or disk, a pin formed on said adjusting-blocks to normally engagesaid thread, an annular series of notches formed on the outer face ofsaid disk, a pivotallymounted lever, adapted to be swung into and out ofengagement with said notches whereby said disk or plate will be heldagainst revolution, and means whereby said plate or disk is disengagedfrom the pins on said adjustingblocks, substantially as described.

5. In a traction-wheel, the combination with a flanged hub, ofradially-disposed parallel spokes secured to the opposite ends of saidhub, a rim or tire arranged on the outer ends of the spokes on one endof said hub, longitudinallydisposed channels formed in the other set ofspokes, segment-shaped steppers pivotally'mounted between the outer endsof said spokes, guide-blocks slidably mounted in the channels of saidspokes, pitman-rods connecting one end of said steppers to saidguideblocks, cushioned adjusting-blocks also mounted in said channels tolimit the inward movement of said guide-blocks, an adjusting plate ordisk loosely mounted on the end of the axle of said wheel to normallyturn with said wheel, a spiral groove or thread formed on the inner faceof said plate or disk, a pin formed on said adjusting-blocks to normallyengage said thread,an annular series of notches IIC formed on the outerface of said disk, an annularly-grooved hub formed on said plate, atwo-part collar mounted on the extreme end of said axle and looselyconnected to the grooved hub of said plate, a spring-retracted leverpivotally mounted on said collar, a lug formed on said lever and adaptedtobe moved thereby into engagement with the notches on said plate ordisk to hold said plate against rotation, and a spiral thread formed onthe end i of said axle to engage a spiral groove in said collar wherebywhen said lever is turned nesses.

CLAYTON A. MoINTOSH. Witnesses:

BOWEN R. SHAFFER, THOMAS C. BAKER;

